Shortly after 9:00 a.m. ET, officials moved the 5300-pound Ten Commandments monument in the Alabama Judicial Building from the rotunda to a closet--amid protests from supporters of Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, who had placed the monument in the building two years ago.

Justice Moore was suspended last Friday for his refusal to obey a judicial dictate by U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ordering the removal of the monument. Moore has vowed to fight what he considers unlawful federal intrusion into Alabama affairs before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Last week, the Supreme Court declined Judge Moore's appeal for a stay, but it has yet to decide whether to hear the broad issues surrounding the controversy--issues that would clarify the Court's position on contradictory rulings by numerous federal judges in various states.

In some states, federal judges have permitted the Ten Commandments to be publicly displayed by government, in direct contrast to Judge Thompson's personal view. The U.S. Supreme Court itself is housed amid public displays of the ancient moral and legal code brought down from Mount Sinai by Moses.

Demonstrators demanded, "Put it back!" as workers moved the monument with a dolly.

Also today, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against the eight associate justices of the Alabama Supreme Court, who last Thursday had voted to comply with Judge Thompson's order, overruling Judge Moore.

U.S. District Judge William Steele refused to contradict a "parallel" judge's ruling, saying, "The law does not allow a party to file a 'horizontal appeal' from one district judge to another judge of the same rank, nor a district judge to overturn the decision of an appellate court in that circuit."

On Sean Hannity's national radio broadcast Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Alan Keyes called for all concerned Americans to converge on Montgomery, Alabama, Thursday to protest the relocation of the Ten Commandments from public view, and to register their outrage at the "imposition of a uniform regime of atheism on our nation" by federal judges.

Keyes argued that Congress must act to restrict the federal courts in such usurpation, to set the federal government in proper balance and protect the right of individual states to reflect their own religious values.

Earlier today, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley said he intends to file legal briefs supporting Judge Moore's battle to keep the Ten Commandments monument in the state judicial building's rotunda.

"I continue to steadfastly believe that public display of the Ten Commandments is constitutional," said Gov. Riley.

See:

• Recent transcripts

• "Judge Moore and Alan Keyes appear on Focus on the Family" (Aug. 26)

• "Keyes lambastes clique of 'lawless' judges" (Aug. 22)

• "Uncertainty Builds as Monument Deadline Passes" (Aug. 21)

• "Keyes: Come to Alabama Wednesday!" (Aug. 19)

• "C-SPAN to cover rally in support of Judge Moore" (Aug. 13)